Source: Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate, reprinted at Breitbart.com.
H/t to Timothy D. Naegele. Quoting Tim, "Ralph Nader has done enormous positive things for American consumers. The cars that Americans drive today are safer because of Nader’s tireless efforts." 
Nader Statement On GM Bankruptcy
Today’s bankruptcy declaration in federal court by General Motors is an avoidable, crude weapon of mass devastation for workers, dealers, auto suppliers, small businesses and their depleted communities. For GM’s voiceless owners — the common shareholders — it is a wipeout. The proximate cause of the bankruptcy was supposed to be the inability of GM and the government’s auto task force to reach an accommodation with GM’s bondholders. But late last week, the bondholder problem was moving toward rapid resolution, and was clearly resolvable. Why then are GM and its multibillion government financier proceeding with bankruptcy?
The bankruptcy and the GM restructuring plan are the product of a secretive, unaccountable, Wall Street-minded government task force that assumed power because of a Congressional abdication of historic magnitude. By all rights, the restructuring plan should have been submitted to Congress for deliberative review and decision…
Many, many jobs will be lost that could be preserved. There is reason to question whether too many plants and brands are being closed — a matter that should have been taken up in Congress. Just the closing of hundreds of (GM and Chrysler) dealerships will cost more than 100,000 jobs. These sacrificed jobs will fray communities and impose enormous expenses on government entities that will have to provide unemployment and social relief, while suffering lost tax revenues.
The unionized workforce will see the wage and benefit structure slashed — even though auto manufacturer wages make up less than 10 percent of the cost of a car — so that new jobs at GM will no longer be a ticket to the middle class. This will drag down the wage structure of the entire auto industry — exactly the wrong direction for the country…
Full article here.
SOURCE Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate
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